Method and system for use with the internet

• US 7,529,766 B2
• Filed: 02/09/2005
• Issued: 05/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/09/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Perion Network Limited (KGB)
• Original Assignee: Conduit Limited (KGB)
• Inventors: Erez, Dror, Bilczyk, Gabriel, Zagury, Ehud, Malachi, Guy, Shilo, Ronen
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y T
• Application Number:
  US11/053,662
• Publication Number:
  US 20060179060A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 707/10, 707/9, 705/26, 705/14
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method of increasing the awareness of users of the Internet to services and products provided by web sites, wherein the method includes establishing a hosting web site on the Internet having a data processor for registering web site owners (WSO'"'"'s) as subscribers to a hosting service. The method also includes storing a program of a browser add-on in the web site, and incorporating a set of customizable characteristics, wherein each WSO subscriber is enabled on said hosting web site to customize said browser add-on for defining specific look and functionalities of the browser add-on. The method further includes registering WSO'"'"'s as subscribers to the hosting service, providing the data processor with a data base for each WSO subscriber, storing the customization data of the browser add-ons in the data bases of the respective WSO subscribers, generating code to be integrated in a web site of the WSO, wherein the code includes a unique identifier of the customization data stored at the hosting web site, in the data base of the respective WSO subscriber. Whenever a user of the Internet activates the code in the WSO subscriber web site, another step provides downloading the browser add-on and the customized data related to the WSO subscriber from the data processor of the hosting web site to the personal computer (PC) of the Internet user and integrating the browser add-on in a web browser installed in the PC.

Claims

1. A method executed at a hosting site, the method comprising steps of:

interacting with a website owner (WSO) to create a customization data that, when combined with an add-on program module appears as an add-on element within a window generated by a browser program on a display of a user computer, wherein the add-on program module is incorporated in the browser program and the browser program is executed in the user computer, and information in the customization data imparts characteristics to the add-on element as chosen by the WSO in the interacting, wherein the add-on program module comprises code that causes a request to be sent to the hosting site, in accord with a repetition algorithm that is incorporated in the add-on program module, for updates of the customization data;

generating an identifier for the created customization data that is known to the WSO;

storing the created customization data in a database in association with the identifier;

retrieving the customization data from the database when a party other than the WSO presents a request that includes the identifier, providing the retrieved customization data to the requesting party;

registering the website owner ( WSO) with the hosting site by the WSO providing information requested by the hosting site, providing to the WSO a password, and the hosting site agreeing with the WSO on a username and the password to be used by the WSO;

when receiving the password and the identifier or the username from the WSO, granting access to the customization data is stored in the database in order to modify the information contained in the customization data , wherein at least some of the information that is included in the customization data in step of the interacting is unique to the WSO, thereby presenting a presence of the WSO in a browser window of the display of the user computer when the add-on program module is executed following downloading of the customization data to the user computer to create an add-on element that embodies said presence,

wherein the information included in the customization data is such that, when the add-on program module and the customization data are presented in a computer of the requesting party and a browser program is executed in the computer of the requesting party, an add-on element is created in a window of a browser that has a look reflecting the information included in the customization data;

interacting with the WSO to modify the customization data; and

replacing the customization data in the database with modified customization data.

2. The method of claim 1 where said providing the retrieved customization data also provides the add-on program module.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step providing to the WSO the add-on program module.

4. The method of claim 1 where said request is sent every time an algorithm that is embedded in the add-on program module.

5. The method of claim 1, where at least some of the information comprises a logo of the WSO.

6. The method of claim 1 where said add-on element is a toolbar.

7. The method of claim 1 where the database contains a plurality of customization data and at least some of the plurality of customization data created through interactions between hosting party and different website owners.